Throne of the North.

Chapter 48 Arrival at North Wind City

Hatton and Ryan saw different things behind this incident, but the final answers were surprisingly consistent.

That is, the emergence of the lord system will indeed increase the number of nobles, but at the same time, it will also make the status and voice of these fifth-class nobles higher.

As for wealth, it’s hard to say.

That letter made it very clear.

Every noble has the right to confer the title of Lord. Although there is a limit on the number, even a baron can freely appoint up to five people to become Lords of the Empire according to his own wishes.

The lordship exists because of these nobles, so naturally, if these titled nobles fall, those lordships will not be recognized.

But since they have become nobles, lords also have certain rights. They are no longer the subjects and wealth of the fifth-class nobles, but supporters. They can even oppose the enthronement of nobles and can own their own territories if... they can get it.

Therefore, what was said in the imperial letter, that the nobles living on one-third of the land should be encouraged to explore, was not false information.

The main reason for the emergence of lords is that there are many nobles and few territories, and everyone thinks the territory is too small.

But the secondary reason is that we do want to expand.

It’s just... expectations are beautiful, but it can be seen from the fact that no one is willing to come to this crappy place, the Frozen Territory. How can it be possible for them to go to the eternal winter in the North to fight with orcs and even more terrifying alien races for territory?

The political struggle will probably end up being a boomerang and return to the political struggle.

Their trip to Beifeng City this time is actually one of them.

Because it has been such a long time, the Empire seems to have finally remembered that there are many pioneering nobles and knights in the North Wind Province, and members of the Imperial Royal Family will come. Originally, this should be the responsibility of the Holy See, but in recent years, the speed at which imperial power has replaced divine power has been a bit too fast.

Thinking of this, Ryan suddenly remembered something.

"If that's the case, doesn't that mean that... the development orders that Grand Duke Meyers had in his hands back then have become worthless pieces of paper?"

His expression was weird, and Hatton next to him also had a wonderful expression in an instant.

Grand Duke Meyers conquered the entire North Wind Province for the empire and relieved a lot of pressure. What a great contribution it was. However, these contributions were replaced by a basket of development orders. Now, even this shameful thing seems to be useless?
Doesn't that mean that Grand Duke Meyers went to great lengths to conquer the North Wind Province, but in the end gained nothing?
There is not even a single descendant of the Meyers family in the Province of North Wind.

"Hiss~ I can't think about it anymore."

……

North Wind City.

When Ryan and Hutton arrived at the provincial governor's city, most of the nobles in the North Wind Province had already arrived here.

Shenma Territory and Tundra Territory are still too far away from here.

People coming and going on the streets were either soldiers or slaves. As more and more nobles came to North Wind City, the common people here no longer dared to walk on the streets easily.

In particular, these civilians have gradually learned some secrets that have been made public in the South from the Chamber of Commerce in the north.

Ryan and Hutton stayed in the mansion of a baronial nobleman, and were soon found by Viscount Miles's men.

"Before the parliament in three days, we in Lingdu County need to discuss it first. Everything should be based on the interests of Lingdu County."

When they arrived at Viscount Miles's mansion, the elderly viscount was in high spirits. Who would have thought that Lingdu County, originally the weakest, now has the right to speak among the top three.

In comparison, Viscount Dragun's expression was not so good.

He stared at Viscount Miles's old face. Wasn't it said that this guy was about to die after releasing the magic scroll? Why didn't he die? Why could he survive this winter?

Ryan also noticed this. He could only guess that the Miles family's heritage over the years did contain some good things.

Of course, compared to this, Ryan is more concerned about the Empire's handling of the North Wind Province.

He glanced at Baron Hatton, who coughed twice and said in a somewhat spirited tone:
"Lord Viscount Miles, is the Empire really going to give up the North Wind Province?"

After hearing this, many people became nervous. While whispering to each other, they did not forget to look at Viscount Miles's expression.

At this moment, Viscount Miles seemed to have aged a few years.

But he just said regretfully:

"The Empire has decided to cancel the one million gold coin subsidy to the Northern Wind Province each year. This is the news from the Senate, but it will not be fully announced until three days later."

"It's just a cancellation of one million gold coins. The biggest losers should be Governor Winter and the two earls, right?"

Hatton asked with some confusion. He was very sensitive to politics, but only in certain aspects.

"Hatton, have you really stuffed your brain into that fat body?"

Next to him, a noble in gorgeous clothes sneered and said mockingly:

"The Empire has been disdainful of the Northern Wind Province since thirty years ago. If it weren't for the one million yuan of expenditure every year that made the great nobles of the Empire remember the Northern Wind Province, it would have been forgotten long ago."

"Now that we don't have one million, there will no longer be any mention of Beifeng Province in the annual performance report. You don't think that our governor will pay for the repair of the fortress in Xiangshan Plain, do you?"

This is impossible. The tens of millions of gold coins of the empire have been divided up completely. How can we expect them to spend their own money to repair the fortress?
It is absolutely impossible.

"In short, without the one million gold coins, it means that the Empire no longer thinks about getting more from the North Wind Province."

"On the contrary, I'm afraid taxes will be imposed."

The Empire exempted the Northern Province from many taxes. In addition, the Northern Province had caused constant political struggles within the Empire over the years. So even if these nobles did not pay the taxes and kept them for themselves, the Empire did not say anything.

But now that they are no longer spending on the North Wind Province, and the Empire has semi-abandoned it, they will naturally have to double the 30 million gold coins they received over the past 33 years.

"Give me money?"

Hatton yelled out loud.

"It's impossible for me to give money. How can I have money?"

Hutton continued to cry and complain that his territory had been looted by orcs and even the castle had been breached.

"Hatton, we are all neighbors. Don't we know whether your castle has been breached?"

"Besides, Shenma Ling, what a crappy name."

The nobleman named Baron Roche finally couldn't help but show disgust.

"Do you think your crow collar sounds nice?"

As the meeting became increasingly noisy, Ryan knew that nothing would come of it this time.

(End of this chapter)